George M. Krupa, O.S.A.

1916 – 1961 (February 19)

George Martin Krupa, son of George Krupa and Elsie Johns, was born in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, on December 12, 1916. His early education was obtained at Sacred Heart School, Lancaster, Saint Mary’s, Harrisburg, Saint Michael’s, Wheeling, West Virginia, Catholic High School, Lancaster, and Augustinian Academy, Staten Island, New York. One of a family of nine children, he and his brother, Father William Krupa, O.S.A., were received as novices on September 10, 1937, and pronounced solemn vows on September 10, 1940. Majoring in philosophy, George was awarded a Bachelor of Arts degree by Villanova College in 1941, and pursued his theological training at Augustinian College, Washington, D.C., where he was ordained to the priesthood by Bishop John McNamara at Trinity College Chapel on May 18, 1944.

Father Krupa’s first assignment was to Malvern Preparatory School in 1945. When he learned of plans to open an Augustinian mission in Japan, he was one of the first to volunteer. Together with Fathers Purcell and Robinson he received his mission cross in October, 1952, and departed for Nagasaki to take up the Order’s work in that nation which had ended 300 years previously when persecution wiped out mission efforts. The first two years, 1953 and 1954 were devoted to studying Japanese in Tokyo. At Christmas of 1954 the friars opened a kindergarten at Nagasaki, and on May 1, 1955, a new parish church, Our Mother of Consolation Shiroyama, was blessed and a hostel opened with Father Krupa as the director. With God abundantly blessing their efforts at Nagasaki, new fields beckoned at Fukuoka. On August 5, 1960 Father Krupa was appointed the first prior and he proceeded to repair an old house on the Kukuoka site, and drew plans for a new mission, Saint Augustine Church, monastery, and kindergarten. In October of the same year he opened an Information Center at a bus stop near the construction of the mission center. 

In December, 1960, he had to enter Saint Joseph Hospital in Nagasaki because of a consuming illness, which necessitated his being flown from Tokyo to Bryn Mawr Hospital on December 29. Father Krupa from youth was a happy, effervescent incurable enthusiast, a community man par excellence. He gave himself wholeheartedly to the apostolate of imparting a knowledge of Catholic faith and morals to his students, and desired most intensely to live out his earthly days in the Japanese Missions. His last Mass was offered on the feast of the Immaculate Conception and this was permitted only because of his great devotion to Our Lady. His patience and cheerful good humor and faith in prayer sustained him to the end as he joined in the prayers for the dying, and God took him on February 19, 1961.

A Solemn Requiem Mass was offered on February 23 at Villanova by Father William Krupa with Father John Klekotka as homilist. Father George Krupa is buried in the Community Cemetery at Villanova.